A Guide to Charming Royals

Chapter Thirty-Eight: ARIAH

The lights go out.

Our hand falls from Madyan's, eyes dancing around, attempting to make out the threats in the dark. Whispers turn into loud murmurs, until conversations close in on us.

Someone moves closer to us, and we step back, inching toward Madyan.

"You're still here, right?"

He stands behind us, a whisper away when he responds, "Where will we run to?"

The guards turn on flashlights, searching the crowd for their royals, before some approach us. "Don't worry, Your Highnesses, the parameter is secured, if there is an issue–"

We try our best to listen to him, but we glance around to make sure everyone is safe. But Leila isn't part of the crowd, or at least, we're unable to seeher.

"Could you find Leila?" we ask the guard.

"We're meant to protect you."

"Şehzadi?"

We relax at the sound of Deen's voice, seeking him out in the dark. "Deen? What's going on? What happened to the lights? We need to find Leila."

"They'll turn on," he says. When the guard shines the light to Deen's face, the latter winces, raising a stained hand to his face. "We just wanted to congratulate you on your wedding."

We frown, taking a step closer when he stumbles. "What's that on your hand? Are you bleeding?"

He falls to the ground, and instantly a shout tumbles past our lips, drawing the attention of the crowd around us. Guards make their way to our side, surrounding us, as we remove our mask, getting a closer look at Deen.

"Deen!" we say, shaking his shoulder. Blood coats his stomach, the knife plunged into him, and the floor behind him. It slithers closer to us, as though wanting to soak us in it. "Samideen!"

"Şehzadi," he croaks out. Blood sputters from his lips, and still, he adds, "We may not die from the knife wound, but you might kill us. We're just resting our eyes."

We wipe at the tears that blur our eyes. "Good. Because we won't let you die."

"Good," he echoes, closing his eyes. "Because we don't want to leave you."

"Call the doctor!" we shout. "Get Deen help!"

And then the alarms go off.

It's a loud screeching sound that we haven't ever heard before. But we don't need a lesson on them to know what the sound signifies. Something's happened. At the palace. Among the security of many guards.

There's different guards all over the place, taking their respective royals out of the room. We hear someone calling for us–not our name–but our code name, Fox, but we don't respond. We hold onto Deen, who takes a long breath before he opens his eyes.

"Your Highness, we have to get you to safety," a guard tell us, hovering over Deen.

"Help him, first," we respond.

"Şehzadi," Deen says, "we'll be okay, let's get you to safety. Then we'll get help."

"We'll get you help first," we repeat.

Madyan's hand goes to our shoulder, or no his hand hovers over it as if about to touch us before he reconsiders, and says, "Is there a safety bunker near the infirmary?"

The guard speaks into his microphone, assessing the situation. Then he looks at the rest of us. "Her Majesty has given her orders to get the Lieutenant General to the infirmary. We will be heading to Safety Bunker F."